The 12 Best Dewy Foundations for the Ultimate Radiance Boost

Glossier launched this much-anticipated addition to its complexion line last year, and it did not disappoint. Like the brand’s other offerings, the foundation flushes the skin with hydration, thanks to ingredients like squalane and glycerin, and allows your skin to look like itself—just a little bit better.

Shade range: 15

Coverage: Medium

Key ingredients: Squalane, glycerin, wild rose berry, plankton extract

Sephora rating: 4.1/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I’ve been a fan of Glossier’s concealer and skin tint for half a decade but hadn’t tried the foundation until this year. Did I fall head over heels for it? Yes, yes, I did. What I adore most about the formula is how customizable it is; if you want lighter coverage, a light layer will even out your skin without looking too heavy. If you need to hide a little more one day, a more substantial layer will give you the coverage you need while still looking like skin. It’s the same thing for the dewiness level, too. A dusting of powder helps the foundation set and appear more matte if needed, but left alone to interact with your natural oils and skin care, it offers a beautiful glowy finish that can’t be beaten.” —Carol Lee, ELLE.com associate beauty e-commerce writer

Despite the fact that it’s described as having a “soft matte” finish, if you prep and nourish your skin well, this formula enhances the dewiness of your skin instead of hiding it. Supplement the glow with the built-in highlighter, and you’ll have your best skin day yet.

Shade range: 30

Coverage: Medium

Key ingredients: Ginger root extract, Amazonian Cupuaçu Butter, kaolin clay

Sephora rating: 4.7/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “First of all, feast your eyes on the gorgeous, weighty packaging. The stunning red catches your eye, preventing it from ever being lost in the depths of your makeup bag. Beyond its gorgeous facade, the formula is a triumph, too. Whether I apply it with my fingers or a brush, it melts into my skin for a second-skin finish that gives me that coveted glow you get after an excellent facial. The cream formula looks flawless all day, and I usually do a light layer everywhere to blur everything and spot conceal where needed.” —Carol Lee

You may be under the impression that stick foundations are dry and chalky, but this one will defy your expectations. The nourishing and moisturizing formula not only delivers just the right amount of dewy-looking coverage, but it also contains soothing ingredients that aid in calming any redness or rosacea breakouts on your skin.

Shade range: 21

Coverage: Medium

Key ingredients: Squalane, phytosphingosine

Sephora rating: 4.2/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “Stick foundations were never my go-to, but it turned out that I just hadn’t found the right one. I always use this formula with my fingers, since I find that doing so helps warm up the product, helping it glide onto the skin and appear virtually undetectable. Even though my skin is on the drier side, some dewy foundations can look too dewy, and I dislike how some of them never seem to set. However, this one has a softer finish that bestows a natural-looking glow instead of making my face look completely wet all over.” —Carol Lee

When you want to thoroughly cover your blemishes while still allowing your skin to, well, look like skin, Charlotte Tilbury’s liquid foundation is a must. Featuring hyaluronic acid, brightening rose, and smoothing Bix-Activ, the medium-coverage formula aims to give you a fresh glow while effectively blurring the appearance of pores and imperfections. Per the brand, the seamless formula is vegan and should last up to 16 hours on your mug.

Shade range: 30

Coverage: Medium

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, rose complex, Bix-Activ

Sephora rating: 3.8/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “For a long time, I stayed away from any foundation with a dewy finish out of fear it’d make my semi-oily skin look like I dipped my head in a bowl of grease. Charlotte Tilbury’s Beautiful Skin Foundation changed my mind. I love how I can control the coverage—one pump is good enough for an even base—and how natural my face looks after back-to-back meetings and hustling to several events throughout the day.”—Nerisha Penrose, ELLE.com beauty commerce editor

From famed celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, this editor-favorite foundation (we reviewed in depth, here) stars nourishing grapeseed oil and squalane to quench dehydrated skin and a touch of light-reflecting mica for added glow. The lightweight, breathable formula is also easily buildable and non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog pores. Check out our TikTok to see it in action.

Shades: 30

Coverage: Sheer to full

Key ingredients: Grapeseed oil, squalane, mica

Sephora rating: 3.7/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “If I want my makeup to look dewy, but my skin is on the dryer side, I reach for this foundation. Thanks to a combination of hydrating oils and light-reflecting minerals, I can cheat a glow that makes my skin look a lot dewier than it actually is.”—Tatjana Freund, fashion & luxury commerce editor

Folks with oily skin know all too well that the line between looking glowy and greasy is very fine. With Armani Beauty’s luminous foundation, striking the right balance is easier than ever. This silky, oil-free formula minimizes shine and masks the look of pores while giving you a healthy-looking glimmer.

Shades: 39

Coverage: Medium

Key ingredients: Glycerin

Sephora rating: 4.2/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “This foundation is lightweight and provides light to medium coverage. You don’t need to apply a ton of product to get an even glow. It’s long-lasting and made it through my workday without oxidizing or wearing off. I do recommend using with the Luminous Silk primer—it prevents the product from settling into fine lines and wrinkles.” — Danielle James, Beauty Director, ELLE.com

There’s not much this powerhouse foundation can’t do. In addition to offering medium, second-skin coverage, it helps hydrate, brighten, soothe, and plump the skin via a blend of niacinamide, caffeine, and peptides. To top it all off, it contains reef-safe sunscreen in case you want to wear it on a beach day.

Shades: 36

Coverage: Medium

Key ingredients: Niacinamide, caffeine, peptides, squalane, pro vitamin B5, hyaluronic acid, arnica

Sephora rating: 3.7/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “For the ultimate ‘clean girl’ look, Kosas is the way to go. This foundation is chock-full of hydrating ingredients like peptides, squalane, and hyaluronic acid, so your skin becomes dewier the longer you wear it.”—Tatjana Freund

Give your natural complexion a subtle boost with Hermès luxurious sheer balm. It stars hyaluronic acid and evening primrose oil to deeply hydrate, plus anti-inflammatory and anti-antibacterial Baikal skullcap for combatting any mild breakouts or redness. Complete with SPF30, aka the minimum amount of SPF dermatologists recommend wearing daily, it also effectively helps protect against sun damage.

Shades: 10

Coverage: Sheer

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, evening primrose oil, Baikal skullcap

Sephora rating: 3.5/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I never thought a $90 tinted moisturizer would become an essential product in my routine, but it has. For that no-makeup makeup look, this product makes my skin look dewy and glowing with minimal effort.”—Tatjana Freund

For a more budget-friendly option, try L’Oréal Paris’ Infallible Pro-Glow foundation. I’ve used this $12 radiant formula for years and lost count of the number of times people have mentioned how flawless my skin looks—even as I’m covering up a crop of pesky dark marks and inflammation. I love that it makes me look neither too shiny nor flaky, and it seriously lasts all day without having that dreaded patchy or melty effect.

Shades: 13

Coverage: Medium

Key ingredients: Glycerin

Amazon rating: 4.4/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “I have grappled with foundation my entire adult life. My jaw dropped when I put this on. Flawless. I didn’t even put the rest of my makeup on before my phone was in my hand ordering two more. I am OBSESSED with the way this foundation looks; I’ve never felt so pretty and polished before! I’m not huge into makeup, so I don’t use concealers or bases or anything unless it's a very special event. I used a thin coat of this Pro-Glow Foundation with a cheap drugstore primer, and my skin looks amazing. I’m very, very fair-skinned with red blotches, and have never found a foundation that can cover my redness even when it’s super caked on, but somehow, this specific foundation covered it in a nice, thin layer. Unless something drastic happens with my skin, I can legitimately see myself using this exact foundation for years to come.”

Nourishing ingredients are key to any dewy foundation, especially when it comes to the best foundations for mature skin. ILIA’s fan-favorite clean formula packs a punch on the hydration front, complete with squalane, niacinamide, and aloe leaf juice, so it shouldn’t crease or sink into wrinkles. Notably, it also contains allantoin, which works to hydrate and soothe skin and may also help prevent wrinkles.

Shades: 30

Coverage: Medium

Key ingredients: Squalane, niacinamide, aloe leaf juice, allantoin

Ilia rating: 4.5/5 stars

An ILIA reviewer says: “I love this foundation. It is lightweight and easy to build up and blend. It does not irritate my skin. It made my skin glowy and also felt like it firmed it. It didn’t settle into any of my fine lines and seemed to diffuse the light, so I looked younger. I set it with powder and my makeup look lasted the entire day.”

Available in a whopping 42 shades, Dior’s Forever Skin Glow foundation makes it easier to find just the right match. The formula contains a blend of moisturizing, antioxidant-rich plant extracts to help you look radiant and visibly improve skin health over time. Although the foundation is designed to be both heat- and humidity-resistant, allowing it to stay put on even the sweatiest days, shoppers report it feels nearly weightless on the skin.

Shades: 42

Coverage: Medium to full coverage

Key ingredients: Hibiscus extract, iris extract

Sephora rating: 4.2/5 stars

A Sephora reviewer says: “This was one of the ONLY products that had my shade. I’ve been looking for years and finally found this one. The texture is very light, so you don’t have to use too much, and it leaves a nice glowy feel. I love this foundation!”

The extra-hydrating sister to Lancôme’s OG full-coverage foundation has a glowy formula that uses nourishing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and mandelic acid to help smooth texture and add firmness. Boasting buildable coverage, it’s designed to expertly cover the skin minus any cakey finish.

Shades: 30

Coverage: Medium to full

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, mandelic acid

Sephora rating: 4.5/5 stars

A Sephora reviewer says: “If you’re looking to glow while achieving maximum coverage and protecting your skin, this is that girl! This is easy to apply and lightweight. I’m so glad to add this to my collection!”